


The Midnight Boys

by xalias



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Blood and Injury, First Kiss, Fluff, Homesick Lance (Voltron), Keith (Voltron) is Bad at Feelings, Keith (Voltron) is a Mess, Lance (Voltron) is a Mess, Lance and Keith have life chats, M/M, Pining Keith (Voltron), Pining Lance (Voltron), but not a lot, slight angst sometimes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-27
Updated: 2018-01-27
Packaged: 2019-03-01 07:22:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13289901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xalias/pseuds/xalias
Summary: The eternal darkness was not the most overwhelming part about traveling across the universe. It wasn't the vast emptiness that swallowed the ship up like a pill, and it wasn't even the realization that he floated in an entirely different solar system than the one his family looked up into.No.For Lance, the most overwhelming part of it all was a boy named Keith.~~~or the one where Lance and Keith meet up during the night to talk and slowly fall in love.





	The Midnight Boys

**Author's Note:**

> I just wanted them to have life chats ok

The eternal darkness was not the most overwhelming part about traveling across the universe. It wasn't the vast emptiness that swallowed the ship up like a pill, and it wasn't even the realization that he floated in an entirely different solar system than the one his family looked up into.

No.

 For Lance, the most overwhelming part of it all was a boy named Keith.

Keith was a force to be reckoned with. He was a loaded gun, waiting to go off at the first sign of danger. His words were bullets aimed for the kill and even though Lance had been shot before, he always found himself coming back, the pain not quite unbearable enough for him to stay away. Keith was intriguing, as hot-headed and cold as he was irresistible. He was a solid force that Lance couldn't seem to get around no matter how hard he tried.

Keith had these unrelenting violet eyes and a stupid haircut that wasn't really that stupid. He was fiercely loyal and had a knack for being antagonistic. But that wasn't the most annoying thing about him; Keith had walls. They were tall and unmoving, keeping him a prisoner to his own person. Lance figured spending years alone would do that to a person, losing your family and then the closest thing you had would do that to a person... They seemed unbreakable, and the moment Lance saw Keith he was determined to crack into his core, to see into the tower Keith had trapped himself inside. It was just like the stories his mom used to tell him before bed, of princesses in towers, and knights in shining armor. Lance figured in this story he was the knight and Keith was the prince, though Keith didn't exactly need saving. Lance only wanted him to see the sunlight again. He knew that he was playing with fire but the thing was, Lance wasn't afraid of getting burned. 

 

It was well into midnight when Lance emerged from his room, walking on the balls of his feet to keep as quiet as possible.

Lance was no stranger to this insomnia. It had consumed him ever since he was a kid and just because he was miles and miles away from home didn't mean it couldn't find him here. Though now he supposed he had a real reason for the nightmares that plagued his dreams, for the anxiety that only ever seemed to visit him in the late evenings and left during the early hours of morning. It was frustrating to say the least, exhaustion and the inability to will yourself to sleep were a bad combination when dealing with the weight of the universe. On nights like these, Lance couldn't help the tears, couldn't help the feeling of dread lingering in his chest... On nights like these, the only thing that seemed to calm him down were the constellations.  

So, he was tiptoeing across the castle to the observation deck. The stars always made Lance feel a little better, made him feel better because they were the one thing that was the same all the way out here. His perspective had changed, sure. But the stars laid out in front of him looked the same as they did back on Earth. He could imagine himself laying in the soft grass of his backyard on those warm summer nights, arm stretched out, pointing as he counted off each twinkle in the sky. He remembered swearing that one day he'd join them... 

A light coming from down the hall pulled Lance from his thoughts, the bright glow illuminating most of the dark hallway. Lance crept closer, peering through the slightly open door. 

Keith was a blur of energy raging in full battle. He moved with careful calculated steps and Lance saw a full minute before it happened that he would successfully complete this training level. Keith swiped his bayard down with such ferocity that Lance had flinched where he stood and the module gladiator clattered to the floor, defeated. 

"Start training level twelve," Keith said to the air. 

_"Twelve?!"_

Keith's head whip towards the door and Lance shot out of the way. His back hit the solid metal causing his breath to catch in his chest. He couldn't help the outburst. Not when just that morning Keith had been on level six, not when Lance himself was only on level four. He allowed himself a moment to exhale before continuing down the hall. He walked faster than he had before, painfully aware of the thud of his heart against his ribcage.

"Lance? What are you doing?"

Lance spun on his feet in a slow motion, putting a smile on his face. The light was harshly illuminating half of Keith's face and Lance could see the reflection of sweat making his hair stick to his cheeks. It made whatever words Lance had planned to say get stuck and jumbled in his throat. He meant to say he was just talking a walk, meant to say he was trying to tire himself out so he could get back to sleep, meant to say a lot of things that weren't; 

"You're all sweaty,"

 Keith narrowed his eyes slightly, it was a look Lance was used to. 

"Well yeah, I was training," Keith said motioning towards the training room like it should have been obvious, "and you didn't answer my question," 

"I was just walking," Lance said, shoving his hands in his pockets. He looked anywhere but where Keith stood, hand on his hip, staring at Lance. His gaze was too heavy, and Lance was feeling too... compromised. 

"In the middle of the night?" Keith pressed, then added, "Have you been crying? Your eyes are all red and puffy."

Now  _that_  was something Lance wasn't used to... That tone, that new expression; soft, yet fierce. He wasn't sure where it had come from but it was just as disorienting as Keith's disheveled appearance had been. 

"Uh?  _No._ I tried a new space cream and it- did this." He said quickly, motioning to his face. It was a half-lie, one that rolled off his tongue with ease. Lance had in fact tried a new space cream, but it hadn't been the reasoning behind his appearance. 

"Why is it only your eyes then?" 

"It was an eye cream, Keith." Lance said quickly, "Do you not listen to me when I go over my skincare routine?"

"Uh... No?" Keith admitted. Lance rolled his eyes. 

"And that's why you look like _that_ , and I look like _this_." 

"Like... you've been crying," Keith confirmed. 

"What, no! I-." Lance sighed, waving his hand like their conversation was a tangible thing he could shoo away. "What are you doing training so late anyway?"  

"I was just-. I wasn't tired so I thought might as well... Zarkon could attack any minute." Keith said. 

"Hm, well," Lance stretched out his arms in an overdramatic yawn, "Don't stay up too late, Mullet. If Zarkon decides to attack in the morning you better not be too tired to fight." Keith scoffed, though Lance caught the slight smile he was repressing. 

"You too, and-. It's not a mullet." Lance chuckled softly, ignoring the pang in his chest.

"If you say so," Lane said turning, he didn't allow himself to look back. He told himself it was because he didn't really care whether Keith went back to bed, or continued his training. But really, he knew it was because he didn't want Keith to see him looking back, didn't want to see Keith  _not_ watching him go. 

It was moments like this that made Lance feel like he was making real progress with Keith. Their small conversations about quiet nothings that seemed to mean everything to the two of them. It wasn't important, not really. But  _god,_ it sure felt like it was. Deep down Lance knew his interest in Keith hadn't been solely about getting him to open up. It was more to get Keith to open up to  _Lance_. Lance had seen Keith go to Shiro multiple times, and he supposed that was expected, but he couldn't help but feel a little jealous. He just wanted to be someone Keith could go to, and in turn, maybe Lance could go to him too. 

Few things nowadays could pull Keith from Lance's mind, but the stars were one of those them. As soon as Lance stepped into the observatory, Keith was nothing but a trailing outline in Lance's memory. The stars demanded his mind, pulled him in close and took hold of his heart. 

Lance sat with his knees tucked into his chest, gazing up at the billions of flaming stars in front of him, alive, burning with a hot energy, radiating glory. Lance wanted to be like the stars. He took comfort in the sporadic lights the seemed to stretch out farther than Lance's mind could comprehend. Not for the first time, Lance missed the warm breeze of those summer nights, missed the feel of his mother's hands ruffling his hair when she caught him staying up too late. After that, she'd pinned a glow-in-the-dark galaxy to his ceiling, complete with his favourite constellations. " _You won't go to space if you don't get enough sleep, Lance_." If he closed his eyes, Lance could see the solar system he'd memorized all those years ago. Lance looked out at the stars and wondered if they were looking back at him. He wondered exactly how far away he was, how long he'd been gone.

He thought back to all the times his father has told him that everything happens for a reason. He wasn't sure exactly what fate had in mind, what kind of sick game she was trying to play, handing the weight of the universe to a bunch of kids. It wasn't fair. This wasn't fair. He was supposed to be a kid, not some soldier, not a paladin, not  _dead_. 

 _You're not dead._ He would tell himself. 

On nights like this, a voice would remind him, _not_ _yet._

If he could go back, if he could drop everything and go home right now, Lance swore he would never count the stars again. 

 

* * *

 

For Keith, Lance was a pain in the ass. 

He was an ever-present force of energy that claimed Keith's mind as it's own. It was completely electric, buzzing through his veins with enough force to have his heart rate spiking at a simple glance. The problem with this was that Keith didn't have time to focus on the exact shade of blue Lance's eyes were. (Though he'd narrowed it down to either a sunlight sapphire or the sparkle of ocean waves if anyone wanted to know.) The problem with this was that Keith had more important things to focus on, like the imperative threat of Zarkon, or his footing to keep the universe held upright on his shoulders. It was not important to focus on the glint in Lance's eyes, the twitch of his lips, or the rose colour of his ears upon catching Keith's gaze. 

For Keith, Lance was a nuisance. He was a possibility that Keith didn't want to think about. He was this floating  _what if_  in his brain that left him warm and irritable, and the worst part of it all was that if Lance noticed the effect he had on Keith, he didn't show it. So in turn, Keith tried not to show it. Tried really hard actually, harder than he'd care to admit. Keith had spent years laying the bricks around himself and he wasn't about to let them all crumble for a boy with pretty eyes, and a sweet laugh.

Keith had worked too hard on perfecting his defense, he wouldn't let his guard down over whatever this was. Whatever fire was burning inside his chest, he could put out. If he got burned in the process, well, Keith wasn't afraid of a little pain. 

For the second night in a row, Keith couldn't sleep. He laid there, staring up at the ceiling, something of a scowl on his face like that would force his brain to catch up and knock him out. He had no such luck. With a sigh of annoyance, he threw back the covers and swung his legs off the side of his bed. There was no use laying there when he could be doing something more useful. 

Keith slipped into the hallway, keeping as quiet as he could. Just because he couldn't sleep, didn't mean nobody else could. 

He saw a figure turn the corner in the distance, curiosity getting the better of him, Keith followed. 

He stepped into the observation deck, not completely surprised to see Lance sitting on the ground, blanket hugging his shoulders. 

"Lance?" 

Lance turned his head slowly, eyes looking sullen, mouth trying so hard to form something that resembled a smile, but ultimately failing in the end. It was a look on Lance that Keith had never seen before, it was at once disorienting as it was painful. Lance wasn't supposed to look like that. He wasn't supposed to be the one in pain, the one who was hurting. Keith's feet were moving him across the room before his mind could process it. Up close, Lance seemed small, the blanket swallowing him up in a way that made it look like he was drowning. 

"Keith..." Lance's finally said. His voice was croaky with a tiredness that Keith could see hanging over him. "What're you doing up?"

"Couldn't sleep, you?" Keith said sitting next to him. 

"I'm just looking at the stars," 

"You do that a lot," Keith commented. Lance huffed out something of a laugh and shrugged. 

"Yeah, I guess it just...it reminds me of home." He said 'home' like the word meant much more than just a place where he came from, said it like it was apart of him, like being so far away from 'home' was not something he could deal with for much longer... 

"Does it help?" Keith asked. Lance shrugged, the edge of his blanket falling off his shoulder, but he didn't move to fix it. 

"Sometimes," Lance considered, "Other times it makes it worse, but I guess just like the view too much to care."

Keith didn't like this version of Lance. The one who was so tired he didn't even have the energy to  _try_ to smile, who had noticeable bags underneath his eyes. This Lance who was so unsure of himself and just-  _sad_. Keith had always been used to Lance demanding the space of whichever room he entered, that it was disorienting to see the walls shallow him up like this. He had a startling thought that maybe this wasn't another version at all, just the same Lance but without a carefully maintained mask in place. Keith remembered their encounter the night before, Lance had played off his red eyes like it was nothing to be worried about, but seeing Lance now, Keith thought maybe his concern had been warranted. 

"Is it pretty nice, kinda peaceful actually," Keith said. Lance hummed. 

"It's weird to think about... Before we got here, we've never actually seen stars that were really alive," Lance said. 

"They don't really look any different," Keith admitted. Lance made a noise that could have been a laugh if he hadn't been so distraught. Keith looked over at him, studying the harsh angles of Lance's face in this light. The low glow from the window casting shadows over his face. Lance glanced over, catching Keith staring, but Keith didn't look away.

"That's not the point," Lance said turning back towards the window quickly.

"What is then?" Lance shrugged.

"I guess there isn't one." 

He said it like he wasn't talking about dead stars. Like he hadn't ever been talking about stars in the first place. The coal in Keith's stomach was burning, working clockwork to get him to move. To say something, to make this boy  _smile_. Lance's unhappiness was a crater in Keith's stomach, sinking further and further into a void that Keith couldn't reach. The fact was that Keith didn't know how to make Lance feel better, that he didn't know how to cheer someone up, or how to sympathize with things he couldn't wrap his mind around. Like family, like homesickness. The fact was that Keith had no idea what he was dealing with, how to help, but good  _god_ did he want to. 

"You don't have to stay here, you know," Lance said, silencing Keith's thoughts all at once. 

"I know," Keith said turning back to the window.

The silence stretched out between them, the sound of only the air filtration system sweeping them into the late hours of the night. Keith didn't pretend to know what Lance was thinking about, exactly what it was about Earth that made him miss it so much. He supposed it had little to do with the planet itself and more to do with the people he left behind on it. This wasn't something Keith could relate to, everyone he cared about had been gone for so long that missing them was a pain he now stored deep in his heart. It was an ever-present feeling the weighed him down, but one he'd gotten used to, one Keith had learned to live with. Besides, Shiro was up here with him, and that was as much motivation to keep moving as any.

The thought that Lance didn't have a Shiro to keep him going was a dark one. One Keith regretted the moment he thought it because it wasn't entirely true. Lance had Hunk and Pidge, and  _hell_ even he had Shiro. But Keith wasn't sure that Lance knew that. He found himself staring at Lance, the shimmer of his eyes in the pale light, the hollows of his cheeks only made deeper from the cast of shadows... Keith thought maybe he could be Lance's Shiro. 

"Thank you, Keith." Lance's words seemed loud, if only because of how unexpected they were. Keith wasn't entirely sure what it was he was being thanked for. Just being there maybe? If it was for Lance, he would do anything to keep him shining as bright as possible. 

 

* * *

 

It was midnight and the silence was starting to become deafening. Lance wasn't entirely sure why he had as much trouble sleeping as he did, though he thought it might have something to do the ever-present flutter of wings beating against his stomach. Lance's sister once told him that butterflies only had a lifespan of three to four weeks, but the ones in his stomach seemed to be immortal. They'd been fluttering around for so long now, he'd gotten used to the strange discomfort, the same way he'd gotten used to Keith's solid presence. He was starting to think the two may have some correlation. 

Keith sat next to Lance and in the whisper of a breath, the weight upon Lance's shoulders seemed to ease. 

"You're here again," Keith said. Not an accusation, just a fact. 

"Solid observation," Lance mumbled in response, "Not sleeping well?" 

"Something like that," Keith said fiddling with the ridges on the floorboards, "You thinking about Earth again?" 

"Something like that," Lance repeated, finally dragging his gaze back to the sky. He wasn't sure what it was about this site that never seemed to grow old, even months into this little excursion, Lance found himself in awe every time he caught a glimpse of the stretch of space. Part of him never really believed it was as big as everyone said it was, maybe that's why he was so adamant about going up one day, to see it for himself. Now that he had, he thought it was more accurate that space was far larger and far emptier than everyone back on Earth believed. He thought there was something sad about that. 

"I can see you bottling your emotions, you know," Keith said suddenly. Lance startled, his eyes flicking over to Keith. He wasn't sure when he'd become such an easy read, but he supposed it was more that he allowed Keith to see a part of him that he closed off to everyone else. Still, Keith's word felt like a punch to the gut. He knew Keith was clumsy with his words, that he spoke his mind, unfiltered. But it still startled him to be called out so directly. 

"I know," Lance said because there was no use denying it. The past week had been hard, and Lance did what he always did when things got a little too hard. He put on a smile and tucked away his self-doubt, pushed his family to the back of his mind and focused on whatever task he was given. When you were the universe's only hope, there was no room for distractions. 

"Well, stop."

"I will when you do,"  Lance said. Keith seemed startled to have his own words thrown back at him. Keith blinked at him, a deep frown on his face. A series of different emotions passed over his face, and then Keith was looking away, gaze set on the stars in front of them. He was silent for so long Lance didn't think he would say another word for the rest of the night. 

"I guess I just have a hard time trusting people," Keith said, so quickly that he words seemed to blur together and had Lance not grown up in an environment where everyone always talked over each other he didn't think he would have understood what he said. Keith's gaze was fixed on the ground in front of him, sitting as still as a statue. 

"Why are you telling me that," Lance asked gently. It's not that Lance didn't want Keith to talk to him, the ten words he said had set off some kind of reaction in Lance's chest that had his heart throbbing in pain. It was more that he expected Keith to go to someone else- anyone but Lance. Yet, here they were. The last two people anyone would have expected to be sharing some time together, and not for the first time. 

" _Because,"_  Keith snapped, defenses coming out, "I thought maybe I could. Maybe you could be that person." 

"Isn't that what Shiro is for?" Lance couldn't help asking. 

"I can't go to Shiro for everything-. He's dealing with enough as it is." Keith said between his teeth, "What's your excuse?"

Lance held he hands out in defense. He could practically hear the safety clicking off, and the last thing he wanted was for Keith to go off. 

"I only meant that I didn't want to force you to talk to me," Lance said calmly, then added, "I'm not that good at opening up to people either... Back home you have to get over things pretty quickly or hide what you're feeling, for the younger kids mostly. There was always so much going on and you had to be there for them." 

"That sounds... hard," Keith stated. 

"It was. Sometimes at least." He paused, "No, but I love those kids. I wouldn't change a thing about it, that's how it always was, same with when I was little..." Lance took a breath, fiddling with the hem of his shirt. "I guess now when things get a bit much... I tend to do the same thing here that I did around them..."

"What's that? _Making dumb jokes_?" Lance knew from Keith's tone that it was some attempt at a joke. Lance let out a breathless laugh. 

"Exactly."

Lance had always had a quick wit, something he'd inherited from his father. He found out early on that he could make a full room burst into laughter with his words. His mother used to tell him the most powerful thing he had was his voice, that his words were the strongest weapon he'd ever wield. 

"Come on, don't look at me like that," Lance groaned upon catching Keith's gaze. 

"Like what?" Keith asked. 

"Like you feel sorry for me." Lance pointed out, "I like making people feel good, it makes me feel good. So if I make a dumb joke and it makes the tension ease a little for everyone... yeah, it makes me feel better." 

"I didn't know that's why you did it. I thought you were just trying to impress Allura." Keith confessed. Lance laughed at that. 

"It's not her I was trying to impress." 

"What?" 

"Nothing," Lance said quickly, ignoring the burn in his cheeks. He thought maybe one day he'd have enough courage to tell Keith how cool he thought he was, and maybe even that he actually didn't think Keith's hair was that bad, but not tonight, not with his emotions influenced by his tiredness, not unless he knew for sure that Keith wouldn't freak out. He looked over again, finding Keith's gaze glued to him, it made Lance's heart skip a beat, watching those violet eyes glittering in the pale light, something intense is his gaze. " _Now_ why are you staring at me?" Lance asked. Keith shook his head, mouth opening, but words failing to come out right away.

"You're just... different than I thought you were," Keith said finally. 

"And is that a good thing?" Lance asked, feeling his heart thumping against his chest. 

"I don't know yet," Keith admitted, "I don't know how it makes me feel about you." 

"Well," Lance said, "Let me know when you figure it out." 

Keith was looking at Lance like he wanted to say something, but he stayed quiet. Lance didn't mind so much. His and Keith's relationship was one that was growing stronger, it was a slow process, but Lance could be patient. If it meant that the next time Keith would tell Lance what was on his mind, then he would wait as long as it took.

"I will." 

 

* * *

 

"You're quiet."

Keith wasn't entirely sure how long they'd been there, but he did know that Lance hadn't said one word since his arrival. It wasn't unusual for them to sit in silence, nor was it uncomfortable. Keith kind of liked that he could sit down and be with someone and not feel pressured to make conversation. Lance was usually quiet on the days where he missed his family, or he had a nightmare. Lance had yet to talk about those with Keith, but Keith knew from experience what someone looked like after waking in a cold sweat or being too afraid to even close your eyes. Still, Lance had never been  _this_ quiet. It was unnerving. 

"Did something happen?" He asked gently. 

" _Did something happen_?" Lance demanded, " _Yes_ , Keith. Something happened." Keith blinked slightly startled. 

It was like Keith had simply flipped a switch. Lance's cool expression exploded into something of fury. Keith wasn't sure what part of his words had set off this reaction, and he was raking his mind from earlier, but Keith hadn't said anything out of the normal to Lance, most of their day had been spent on a mission to recover important intel on where Zarkon was planning to strike next.

Lance huffed in annoyance. "You're really don't know? God. Okay. Today, you ran in there with nobody to cover you." 

"Well, yeah. Somebody had to do it-." 

"No, Keith. You acted without thinking. _Again_. When are you going to realize that  _we're_ a team? It's not always up to you to save the day- especially not alone. " 

"I was just doing what had to be done so the mission didn't fail." Keith snapped, "We needed that Intel _and_ I didn't even get hurt." 

“It had the potential to be dangerous, so don’t go arguing with me about it. I was worried.” Lance said turning away. 

 _That_ made the words dissolve in Keith's throat. Keith had been on his own for so long he forgot what it was like to have someone yell at him for doing something stupid. He was usually aware of the dumb things he did out in the desert but seeing as he was alone, most of the time he'd forget about almost instantly. He supposed it had happened so often, it just became a sort of habit, one that Lance wasn't overly fond of. 

"I'm sorry," Keith said, the words spilling over his lips. It seemed like a protocol answer, one the Lance wanted to hear, one that he should say even if he didn't mean it. It's not that Keith wasn't sorry about making Lance worried, but he didn't regret what he did. They  _needed_ that information or else the mission would have failed. “We can both agree that I’m too reckless for my own good,” Keith said, Lance scoffed, something of a smile curving his lips.  

"At least you're self-aware. That's a start." He said nudging him. Keith was hyperaware of the warmth of Lance's arm, and even with the air separating them again, he could still feel the press of Lance's skin against his own.

It was a strange realization to have, that Lance was an  _actual_ human being, one that seemed to care about Keith's well being, despite the rocky start to their relationship- if you could even call it that. Lance was a puzzle, one that Keith would devote all day to solving if he had the time. He supposed that Lance was just too big of a presence in his brain for him to ignore any longer and that if he was going to be there, Keith might as well try to figure out exactly where it was his feeling stood when it came to Lance. 

"You were really worried about me?" Keith asked suddenly, not entirely meaning to say it out loud, but too curious about the answer for him to tell Lance to forget it.  

"Of course I was," Lance said easily, and then, "You're my friend."  Keith wasn't very familiar with the feeling of having every thought in your mind disappear with a few words, but if anyone could make it happen, he supposed Lance could have. Lance looked at him with tired eyes, yet there was something else behind them, something Keith couldn't recognize. He was new to this whole 'friend' thing, even newer to the concept of teamwork, and the last person he would have expected it from was Lance, but he wasn't about to turn it away. Not when Lance had pinned him with a look, not when his eyes seemed to hold an entire galaxy of possibilities that for the first time Keith was beginning to think could be more than simple  _maybe's._

  

* * *

 

Despite his best efforts, Lance found himself waiting for Keith. He wasn't sure exactly when this had become a routine, just that it was an unspoken agreement of sorts. When the castle was quiet with sleep, the two of them met in front of the stars. It was a time where they could both let go of some of the weight upon their shoulders and talk about what it was that kept them awake into the early hours of the morning. For Keith, it was usually something to do with Zarkon, something about an unexplainable urge to train, to get stronger so that when the fight broke out he was ready. Lance didn't really think that was all there was to it, but he was grateful for the small bits of himself that Keith allowed Lance to see. 

"It's a bit overwhelming sometimes," Keith was saying, "We _cannot_ fail. If we do-." He didn't finish his sentence, and he didn't have to for Lance to know what he meant. 

"We won't," Lance said gently. 

"How can you possibly know that," Keith scoffed. 

"It's not about knowing, it's about hope," he said nudging Keith gently, "Come on, Keith. If you really believed we didn't stand a chance, you wouldn't be here, you wouldn't be _trying_." 

"Some days it all seems hopeless anyway," Keith muttered. 

"Yeah," Lance agreed. Keith whirled on him, brows creased. 

"You're not supposed to  _agree_ with me," Keith pointed out, "How the hell is that supposed to make me feel better?" Lance laughed a bit. 

"Oh, I'm sorry, I was trying to be more honest about my feelings, but if you want me to treat you like my seven-year-old cousins I can," Lance said, he cleared his throat and turned back towards Keith, taking his hands in his own. "Don't worry, Keith! The stars always align," He jumped to his feet, placing a hand on his hip, using the other to dramatically motion towards the window. "We're going to win this, you'll see!

"Lance, Be quiet!" Keith snapped, "You're going to wake someone!" Lance half turned towards Keith, his lips were upturned, spreading into a wide smile, the sound of choked laughter sputtering through no matter how much he tried to fight it. Lance continued. 

"Zarkon is no match for a bunch of angsty teenagers!" Lance declared offering a hand to Keith. He was smiling wider than Lance had ever seen and the sight only fueled Lance. He hauled Keith up next to him and pointed out at the stars. "He's out there somewhere, and he thinks we're nothing, but he isn't gonna know what hit him." 

Lance turned his attention back to Keith, he was smiling softer now, eyes trained on Lance. They stayed like that for a beat, eyes entranced with the others, finger entwined by their sides, the stretch of sky settling their silence. Lance's mind caught up with him first, he let go of Keith and actively turned his head away. Shaking the image of Keith's blush from his mind he tried his best to ignore the warmth settling through his body. This was a bridge that Lance wasn't allowed to cross, no matter how much he wanted to. One step would set him cascading down into a ravine of regret, and no matter how tempting it was Lance wouldn't allow himself to step off that edge. Lance wasn't afraid of heights by any means, what he was afraid of was falling. That feeling in his gut that warned of danger, his mind whirring warnings everytime he got too close, every time he allowed himself to think of Keith like that. Like there was something there... Like there could ever be  _something there_. 

"I uhm, I think I might try to go back to sleep," Lance said rubbing the back of his neck. 

"Uh, yeah, same. Me too." Keith stammered. Lance risked a glance, something settling his nerves to see Keith looking almost as flustered as Lance was. He flexed his fingers, still feeling the press of Keith's fingers against his knuckles. 

"Come on," Lance said quietly, shoving his hands deep into his pockets, Lance made way for the door, Keith close behind.

They walked in silence, keeping their footsteps light down the hallway. Lance didn't mention the way Keith's shoulder brushed against his a few times, and in turn, Keith didn't mention it when Lance's did. Lance stopped in front of his door. 

"This is me," Lance said.

"Yeah, I know," Keith said frowning, "My room is right across from yours." Lance couldn't help this fit of fond laughter that bubbled up his throat. 

"Goodnight, Mullet." 

"It's not a mull-. Goodnight, Lance." 

Lance waited for the  _whoosh_ of the door shutting behind him before allowing himself to come undone. He sank down to his knees, pressing his fists to his eyes, repressing the urge to squeal. His cheeks ached from smiling so wide and he took a few steadying breaths to collect himself. His mind raced with images of Keith, the ghosts of his expressions and words whispering in Lance's ear. Lance opened his eyes and stood, dusting himself off, he climbed into bed. He rubbed his knuckles along his lip imagining Keith's hands on his, and sleep came to him easily. 

 

* * *

 

Keith didn't like the way Lance's left eye now matched the darkness of space. The bruise took up a quarter of his face, it forced his eye closed and Keith hated every part of it. It had all happened so fast and Keith couldn't decipher exactly what had happened. One minute he was slicing through sentries, the next Lance was in front of him, taking a blow -meant for Keith- to the head. He'd gone down instantly, the blood trickling down until it covered his face with a thick sheen. It was horrifying. To see that much blood, to see Lance lying there unmoving. Watching Lance crumble to the floor, his mind shot to the worst possible thing-  _he's dead_. And the moment he thought it, his brain clung to the possibility, ignoring all reason and forcing Keith to believe it. 

Lance was not dead, as much was clear when they finally got back to the ship, they strung him up in a pod without so much as whipping the blood from his face. Coran had announced he'd be awake in a few varga so nonchalantly that Keith wanted to scream because it should have been him. 

"Calm down, okay? It's not as bad as it looks." Lance said, pulling the ice pack away from his face. 

"Don't you know how to duck?" It wasn't what Keith wanted to say, but the words came out before he could shove them back in.

"Of course I know how to duck."Lance snapped, 

"Doesn't look like it." 

"He came out of  _nowhere_." 

"He could have blinded you," Keith snapped,

"But he didn't," Lance said. 

"He could have _killed_ you, _"_ Keith insisted,

"but he  _didn't._ " Keith whirled on him, turning so that he was fully facing the other boy. 

"Don't you have any sense of self-preservation? We need you, Lance.  _I_ need you." Keith was shouting now, he had a finger pointing into Lance's chest and despite feeling incredibly vulnerable he couldn't quite bring himself to back down. He had been terrified, he needed Lance to knowjust how much it pained him to see Lance hurt, especially at his expense. Keith had been given lectures on being reckless dozens of times before and he was trying to be more of a team player, but Lance had rushed in front of him without a second thought, like it was a natural instinct, like Keith's life was more important than his own and it put a terrible taste in Keith's mouth. 

"I'm-. I'm sorry."  Lance breathed out. Keith was close enough to feel his breath brush against his cheeks and only then did he back away. He didn't mean to let himself get so worked up, but in the span of two minutes, it's like the wall he'd put up inside had come crashing down. It was suffocating, and Keith couldn't stop himself from being crushed. 

"Why... Why would you jump in front of me like that?" Keith asked. Lance closed his eyes, like that was the one question he didn't want to answer. 

"I don't know- I just- I didn't want you to get hurt." He said quickly, looking away. 

"And you think I wanted _you_ to get hurt?" Keith demanded. 

"No, of course not, I just," Lance shook his head, sending his hair to fall on his face. He ran his fingers through it, pulling it back over his forehead, but it fell forward again anyway. "I saw him coming at you before you did and I was moving before I even really knew what I was doing. I just... I _had_ to do something! If you had gotten hurt and I could have done something to stop it..." Lance's voice trailed off into unsaid words, but Keith didn't know if he really wanted to hear them. 

"Thank you," Keith said, Lance turned, looking puzzled, so Keith continued. "If you didn't do what you did- who knows what could have happened." Lance looked at him with such a fond expression it sent Keith's mind whirling, his cheeks flushing. "But don't do it again, I'm not some damsel in distress that needs saving," Keith muttered crossing his arms and looking away. Lance laughed slightly like he knew something Keith didn't.

Flushed, Keith reached for the ice still in Lance's hand and forced it to the side of his face. Despite the cold of the pack, Lance's fingers were warm under Keith's. Lance seemed so shocked by the movement. Up close, Keith noticed tiny dots of freckles that peppered Lance's skin. They looked like the constellations of the space between them... Keith turned away, letting the silence stretch between them. 

"It makes it more real," Lance said, breaking the silence. "We could _actually_ die out here and nobody would even know about it." Lance's eyes widened slightly, "Unless... Do you think they already think we're dead?" Lance asked. "Everyone back on Earth?" 

"I'm sure the Garrison tried to write it off like that... But judging by the way you talk about your family, I don't think they'd take their word for it if that's what you're asking." 

"I wonder if they had funerals," Lance mumbled. 

"Why are you thinking about stuff like that?" Keith asked, eyes snapping over. Lance let the ice pack drop from his face, but Keith picked it up and forced Lance to continue holding it in place.  

"I guess I'm just homesick again. Don't you ever feel that way?" Keith shrugged in response. 

"Can't be homesick for a place that never really was home." He muttered. Lance frowned at him, head tilting a little. 

"Well..." He said, "When we get back to Earth, we'll find you a place to call home."

Keith didn't say it, but he was starting to believe 'home' wasn't limited to being a location, that it had more to do with the people that surrounded you than a place on a map, he thought it was more special than a series of coordinates that just anyone could find. He wouldn't say it, but Keith was starting to think that maybe  _home_  was becoming synonymous with  _Lance_. The fact of that matter was that Lance was more dangerous than Keith had anticipated. His tower was under attack and he hadn't even realized until it was too late, now there was an alarming crack to his fortress, and he wasn't sure it if was more startling at how fast it had happened or that he was in no rush to repair it. 

  

* * *

 

The night began as it usually did, the two of them in the company of quite constellations. Though now, Lance thought there was something different in the air. A shift in the atmosphere that wasn't as unsettling as he thought it should have been. It was a shift in their relationship really, like they both knew just how much this time meant to the other, like they both knew the true extent of their feelings for each other but would never dare say it out loud. 

Keith was tucked in next to Lance, a shared blanket draping over their shoulders just barely. Lance took comfort in the very warm press of Keith's thigh on his own. Keith had always been a solid force in Lance's life, though now it was more of a force that kept him upright instead of outside. It was strange to look back on their relationship and see how far they'd come. In a matter of months, a few life-threatening events, and a couple sleepless nights had brought them to a new level that Lance never thought possible. 

"You ever think about how  _lucky_ we all are?" Lance asked quietly. 

"Lucky?"

"If you think about it we really should not have won as many battles as we have, I mean- we only became a team a few months ago and Pidge and Hunk weren't even pilots and these guys... the Galra have been doing this for centuries..." Lance said. 

"I think it has more to do with the _magic_ robot lions than luck," Keith said. "I think it's lucky that we make such a good team, that Allura and Coran were still alive, that  _we're_ the ones with the lions in the first place."

"I think it's lucky I met you," Lance said. Keith snorted a laugh. 

"Shut up." 

"I mean it!" Lance whined, turning to face Keith, "Meeting you was a once in a lifetime chance... and I couldn't have been luckier." Keith blinked at him, his lips parted in unsaid words. 

"You don't really mean that," Keith stated. 

"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't," Lance said. When Keith remained quite, Lance went on. "After you left the Garrison, I never thought I'd see you again. But then an alien ship was crashing down and I saw your  _stupid mullet_ and I knew whatever was happening I wasn't going to miss out." 

"That's..." Keith shook his head at a loss for words. "I thought you all thought I was just the loner." 

"Keith, you're not  _just_ anything. Not to me." 

Keith seemed so taken back by Lance's words it was almost devastating. He sat there looking at Lance with an expression that could have been gratitude, or confusion... Lance hadn't yet figured out how to read Keith as easily as Keith could read him, but he was making progress. Keith was letting Lance in, was lowering his defenses and that was all Lance could've hoped for. 

There was a glint in Keith's eyes that had Lance's heart pounding, a sort of look that had him doing backflips in his mind. It wasn't so much a realization but a sort of acceptance of his feelings for Keith. If Keith felt even a fraction for Lance of what Lance felt for him... Well, then. Lance decided that in the end, he wasn't that afraid of falling, not if Keith was there with him.  

"I'm going to kiss you," Lance stated. He was waiting for Keith's reaction. Waiting for him to say no, to tell him to stop... Instead,

 "Okay," Keith said, his voice pitched higher than usual. His eyes locked on Lance, an almost frantic look in his eyes. Lance leaned towards him painfully slow. His heart was a wild animal in his chest, rapping against the cage of his ribs, begging to be set free, and so Lance opened up. 

It was awkward at first, teeth clashed together in desperation, but they quickly found a rhythm that synched with the steady beat of their hearts. Kissing Keith was nothing of what Lance had thought it would be, but it was everything more. Lance allowed himself to melt into Keith, allowed himself to be whisked away from reality and exist in the moment in which it was only him and Keith. He didn't think about being a paladin, about fighting on the front lines... His mind was solely consumed with Keith, and Lance was hyperaware of where Keith's body pressed against his, could feel his limbs becoming numb, Lance brought his hands up to cup either side of Keith's cheeks to keep himself steady...

When Keith pulled away, Lance wasn't able to open his eyes right away. He stayed there, forehead resting against Keith's, listening to their hot breaths coming from both of them. 

"That was..." Keith didn't finish his sentence. 

Lance slowly opened his eyes, only to be met with Keith's intense gaze. Something had changed. There was a look in Keith's eyes that Lance only saw reflected in his own. It was this sort of longing, the type that was painful and intoxicating and Lance was drunk off the feeling. 

Lance finally took his hands away from Keith's face, and settled back, hugging the blanket around his shoulders. He was too aware of Keith now, could still feel the lingering sensation of their lips pressed together. 

"Remember when I told you I'd let you know when I decided how I felt about you?" Keith asked, breaking the silence. 

"Yeah," Lance replied turning back towards him. Keith swallowed.  

"Well," He said, "turns out I like you. A lot." 

Keith's cheeks were burning red, and he wouldn't meet Lance's gaze. Lance opened his mouth to say something, but then Keith was springing towards him, somewhat tackling him. He grabbed Lance's face pulling him up and pressed their lips together again. 

This time the kiss was slower, more careful. Keith took control and was making sure Lance knew it. Whereas time seemed to be fleeting the first time, this time it slowed around Lance, his heartbeat was a steady anchor that kept him from floating away. 

When Keith pulled away, Lance laid there, gazing up at him. He reached up, tucking Keith's hair behind his ear so that he could see his eyes better. 

"The feelings' mutual." He said breathlessly. Keith chewed his lip, repressing the smile. Lance found himself smiling, and he pulled Keith down next to him, intertwining their fingers. 

They laid there for far longer than they should have, neither of them wanting this moment to end. This was the start of something, something Lance didn't want to rush into or put a label on, but it was something he didn't want to lose either. In all the jokes he'd made about finding love somewhere in the milky way, never did he think he would have found it in Keith. But laying there next to him, Lance felt at home, which is something he didn't think he would feel for a long, long time. 

 

* * *

 

Keith's lips tingled with the memory of where Lance's had once been. The kiss had been unexpected. But then again, so was the entire situation. Never had Keith really expected to feel this strongly about anyone, especially Lance. The last thing Keith would have thought would come from being thrust headfirst into a raging war was love, but here is was, and Love called himself Lance.

 "Hey, do you believe in fate?" Lance asked looking up from where he laid in Keith's lap.

Lance always seemed to ask philosophical questions, ones that very much danced around the idea of love and the idea of the universe having a plan for each individual, that it made sure people met at the right moments in time... Keith thought it had more to do with Lance being tired than Lance being in love, though the later wasn't a bad thought when he factored himself into the equation. 

"I don't know," Keith said, "It's a little scary to think that everything is already planned out for us. Free will, all that stuff,"

"Conclusion?" Lance prompted,

"It's problematic," Keith said. Lance hummed, 

"How about destiny then?" Keith laughed slightly. 

"I think that's worse. We're all meant to do  _something_ but we could end up being failures in the end? No thanks." Lance snorted out laugher. 

"That's just depressing," 

"It was your question," Keith countered, reaching around to rest his arms on Lance's shoulders. Lance settled back into him, letting out a long breath. 

"Okay," He said, "How about soulmates?" 

"What do you think?" Keith asked, turning the question to Lance. 

"I think it's a nice thought. That there's one person specifically made for another person. Someone who completes them, someone who fits perfectly when intertwined," Lance mused, he reached up lacing his fingers through Keith's. He paused as if admiring the way their fingers tangled together. "Your turn," 

"I think it could be beautiful," Keith said softly, "But only if mine is you." 

Lance tilted his head up so that he was looking at Keith, his cheeks flushed. Keith leaned down, placing a careful kiss on Lance's forehead. When he pulled away, Lance had a wide grin on his face, his eyes closed. The sight of him made Keith's heart melt. 

"That's a pretty weighty thing to say," 

"I'm trying to be more open about my feelings," Keith said pointedly with a smirk. 

"Well in that case, in the event that soulmates  _are_ real," Lance said, starry eyes looking up at Keith, "I'd want you to be mine too." 

Keith didn't really believe in fate or destiny, much less did he soulmates... He thought these types of things took work, work that he'd gladly put in if it meant being with Lance. He thought there was almost something more romantic about that. Soulmates were easy. Two people made perfectly for each other, and once found that was it. No, Keith thought there was something much more meaningful to their relationship. They had taken what was thrown at them and made something beautiful out of it, and as long as they continued to fight for each other, Keith didn't think anything would come between them. In the end, Keith knew Lance wouldn't go anywhere that he couldn't follow, and that in the millions of stars in the galaxies, he thought maybe they could shine just as bright together.   

 

* * *

 

Love arrived in the whisper of night, the silence of the stars surrounding him in a deafening silence. He was a force to be reckoned with, a loaded gun, waiting to go off at the first sign of danger, but Love was so much more than that. He was also compassionate, understanding, and he had this sort of softness that Lance hadn't thought possible before. He showed up one day, completely uninvited but not unwelcome, and called himself Keith. 

"When did you know you wanted to go to space?" Lance asked. Keith shifted from where he was tightly nestled into Lance's side so that he could look up at him. 

"I didn't, not really anyway. It just kind of felt like something I  _had_ to do,  _had_ to see." Keith explained, "I felt drawn to it, maybe that was the Galra part of me..." 

"Maybe," Lance replied softly, twirling bits of Keith's hair between his fingers. 

"What about you?" Lance shrugged. 

"For as long as I can remember... There was just something about the night sky, all the stars, and constellations... It was so magical. I guess I decided that I had to go and see it up close." 

"And now that you have?" 

"It's not at all what I expected, but I'm really glad I got here," Lance replied, though he didn't think he wasn't entirely talking about space, but also the circumstances that had brought him here. Family had always been everything to Lance, the one thing he wouldn't be able to live without, but being up here with Hunk and Pidge, having Keith right by his side, and having Shiro lead them through the darkest times... Allura and Coran been an unexpected surprise but everyday Lance grew more and more thankful to have them on their side. All together, they made a good team, and Lance thought maybe they could be his family-away-from-home, he thought that family didn't always have to be defined by blood. 

Keith hummed in agreeance, nestling closer to his side. Long ago, Keith's walls had been built so high that Lance doubted Keith even  _wanted_ to be free. Now looking at him, it was insane to think about how much had changed the span of a few months. Keith had blocked out all sunlight, and now looking at him, he glimmered in star-shine, his skin glowing, eyes shiny. 

"What are you thinking about?" Keith asked quietly. 

"How far we've come," Lance said softly, "Who would've thought  _we_ _'d_ end up here." Keith laughed a bit. 

"We always did make a good team," Keith pointed out, 

"Yeah, we did," Lance said, leaning down to press a light kiss on Keith's nose. Keith blinked in surprise, a deep blush creeping its way across his cheeks, he stuffed his face into Lance's chest, shuddering slightly. Lance laughed fondly at Keith's flustered state, wrapping his arms around him to tug him closer. Lance could've stayed like that forever, but sleep was threatening to pull him away, and despite being comfortable with Keith, the two weren't just ready for everyone else to know about the true extent of their relationship- though Lance knew Hunk suspected something, which in turn meant Pidge must be suspicious as well. 

"Come on, we should get some sleep," Lance said, pulling Keith up with him. 

They stood there for a second before Lance saw Keith leaning in and he was mirroring the gesture. Despite being very,  _very_ familiar with the feeling of Keith's lips on his, Lance always found himself in a trance-like state afterward. It was completely electric, and it made him leaving him light on his feet. He was overly aware of the heat of his own cheeks, and could only guess what expression his face was making as Keith forced Lance's face away with the back of his hand. 

"It's been months, when are you going to stop that?" Keith asked. Lance pretended not to notice the hoarseness of his voice. 

"Stop what?" Lance asked, turning back to look at him, something swelling in his chest at the sight of Keith's flustered cheeks. 

"Looking at me like that." 

"Like  _what?"_ Keith pointed at him like it should have been obvious. 

"That-That!" He complained, "Like you have stars in your eyes or something.." He said quieter. Lance reached out, intwining their fingers. 

"It's because I love you," Lance said, and he's never been more sure of something in his entire life. 

"Oh.  _Oh_." Keith said. Lance chewed on his lip, repressing the smile growing on his face, he tugged Keith after him. 

"Come on," 

Despite walking as slow as possible, Lance thought they made it back to their rooms too quickly. It was a small disappointment. But there would be other nights, more time together. 

"Well, I'll see you in the morning," Lance said, letting go of Keith's hand. 

"Wait-. Lance." Keith said. "What you said before- I-. I do too." Lance's heart jolted.  

"I know," He rasped out, because he did. Between now and then, Keith had made his feelings clear, even if he hadn't used words to confirm it. Lance placed a small kiss on his cheek, then turned back towards his room, but then Keith spoke again so softly, Lance barely caught it. 

"If you want..." He said. Lance turned. "You could sleep in my room with me. Not  _with_  me, not like  _that_. Just sleeping. If you want. You don't have to-. You know what? Just forget it-."  

" _Keith_." Lance said, smiling, holding in a fit of small laughter, "I would like that," Keith let out a long exhale, smiling. He gingerly took Lance's hand he pulled Lance into his room. 

Keith crawled into bed, pulling Lance in after him. Lance settled down and Keith wrapped his arms across his stomach, holding him close. 

"Goodnight," Keith whispered, 

"Night," Lance responded. 

Lance had always found himself coming back to Keith before, and he knew he would continue to come back no matter what happened between them. He soaked in the warmth of Keith around him, settled into his touch and allowed sleep to consume him.  

 

* * *

 

**Author's Note:**

> endings are hard, I may come back to this one day, but for now this is it :')


End file.
